Help Domestic Construction Bring a Design Plot of Art, Urban Farming, and Sustainability to Brooklyn!

Trish Andersen and Maureen Walsh of Domestic Construction have combined their creative forces to bring a new community design space to Greenpoint Brooklyn. This recent artistic endeavor “design.plot” aims to blur the boundaries between sustainability, urban design, and food production. The designers plan to deck out the lot with geodesic greenhouses, a viewing hill, a birdhouse village, vertical gardens, vegetable beds, and of course, a “mini-forest world.” With so many dead spaces dotting the Brooklyn landscape, this little ray of green design has the potential to set a precedent for sustainable development and community within the area. If you’re as passionate about positive grassroots change as we are, jump ahead and learn how you can help Domestic Construction raise some funds to make their project a reality – they’re even giving away some sweet prizes on their Kickstarter page!

The artists recently relocated their studio to an old industrial warehouse in Greenpoint Brooklyn, and couldn’t help but notice the potential of the unused lot next-door. While financial concerns prevented the designers from leasing the space right away, news of their landlord’s plan to create a parking garage on the site inspired them to sign the lease in hopes of later raising enough money to save the lot.

Now that the space has been secured, Domestic Construction has kicked off its fundraising efforts to radically transform the lot into an oasis of greenery that “inspires creativity and dashes the line between art and nature.” To complete the project, Domestic Construction needs $22k by August 24th to make their urban wonderland a reality. Included in the plans is a complete overhaul of the space to create a year-round, functioning urban farm. In the winter, produce and seedlings would be grown in two geodesic domes in the back left corner of the enclosure, and as weather allows plants would be moved to the series of outdoor vegetable beds, expanding their production capacity as the seasons allow. Just in front of the growing domes is a vertical garden that lines the walls of Domestic Construction studio warehouse, along with 4 large raised beds for spring, summer, and fall growing seasons. In the back right corner of the space is what the designers call a “lounging hill” complete with built-in living furniture which looks over a bird house village and a smattering of trees called the “mini forest.”

If, and when the team hits their target goal, construction will need to take place immediately so that they can beat old man winter’s clock before the first frost hits. If all goes according to plan, Greenpoint Brooklyn will be home to an amazing new community space for workshops, film screenings, art exhibitions, and aimless enjoyment. Although you might feel moved out of the goodness of your own heart to donate to this worthwhile venture, Domestic Construction has sweetened the deal with an awesome lineup of gifts for donors. Everything from a vintage tea-cup planter set, to a dinner for twelve on the lot catered and curated by the designers themselves. While Inhabitat has covered the work of Domestic Construction in the past, we believe this could very well be their greatest project yet. If you feel inspired to donate, click the link below for their Kickstarter page to pitch in.